2017 U Sports Playoffs/University Cup (March 16th-19th in Fredericton, NB)
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03-10-2017, 04:09 PM MiamiHockey posted this:
This is not the forum for this discussion, but alas here it comes again ...
Since 2010, McGill has been in 4 out of the 7 University Cups, and has a record of 5W and 5L.
Only two teams (UNB and Alberta) have been in more U-Cups in that period (5 and 6 respectively). UNB has a record of 12-2, and Alberta is 9-5. Only SMU has as many wins as McGill (SMU is 5-3 in 3 U-Cups). Nobody else is better than .500 at the U-Cup since 2010. Only Saskatchewan has also been in 4 U-Cups - but 2 were as Host - and Sask has a record of 4-5 in that time.
St FX and UWO both have made 3 U-Cups and sport 3-3 records since 2010. UQTR has made 4 U-Cups, but have gone 1-7 (yikes!).
So, as I've said many times on this Forum, in CIS Hockey there's UNB, Alberta, and everybody else. Among the everybody else, McGill has had the most success in recent years.
I certainly hope McGill wins tonight. With all due respect to Queen's, they were fortunate to have a hot goalie. McGill had the shots at 58-21 in Game 2. An OUA contingent of York-Queen's-Windsor is not a strong one.
This is not the forum for this discussion, but alas here it comes again ...
Since 2010, McGill has been in 4 out of the 7 University Cups, and has a record of 5W and 5L.
Only two teams (UNB and Alberta) have been in more U-Cups in that period (5 and 6 respectively). UNB has a record of 12-2, and Alberta is 9-5. Only SMU has as many wins as McGill (SMU is 5-3 in 3 U-Cups). Nobody else is better than .500 at the U-Cup since 2010. Only Saskatchewan has also been in 4 U-Cups - but 2 were as Host - and Sask has a record of 4-5 in that time.
St FX and UWO both have made 3 U-Cups and sport 3-3 records since 2010. UQTR has made 4 U-Cups, but have gone 1-7 (yikes!).
So, as I've said many times on this Forum, in CIS Hockey there's UNB, Alberta, and everybody else. Among the everybody else, McGill has had the most success in recent years.
I certainly hope McGill wins tonight. With all due respect to Queen's, they were fortunate to have a hot goalie. McGill had the shots at 58-21 in Game 2. An OUA contingent of York-Queen's-Windsor is not a strong one.
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03-10-2017, 09:42 PM AdamMcg83 posted this:
Way off the original topic now, but I can't overstate enough that Queen's is the real deal here. Despite similarities in inexperience, this isn't Waterloo in '13 or Guelph in '15. Three of the Gaels 7 regulation losses came without their top four players and their head coach (during the FISU games), and they were competitive with the top teams in the OUA all season.
They're obviously not on the level of X/UNB/ALB/SASK, but they're absolutely on the level of McGill this season. Despite being on the road, I think they're definite favourites in the Queen's Cup.
Way off the original topic now, but I can't overstate enough that Queen's is the real deal here. Despite similarities in inexperience, this isn't Waterloo in '13 or Guelph in '15. Three of the Gaels 7 regulation losses came without their top four players and their head coach (during the FISU games), and they were competitive with the top teams in the OUA all season.
They're obviously not on the level of X/UNB/ALB/SASK, but they're absolutely on the level of McGill this season. Despite being on the road, I think they're definite favourites in the Queen's Cup.
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03-11-2017, 12:29 AM MiamiHockey posted this:
Well, McGill is in, so we'll soon find out who is the real deal. I don't agree with your assessment of Queen's, because I don't think they have the depth required to compete at the University Cup. We'll know soon enough!
Well, McGill is in, so we'll soon find out who is the real deal. I don't agree with your assessment of Queen's, because I don't think they have the depth required to compete at the University Cup. We'll know soon enough!
AdamMcg83
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You're right; ultimately, the lack of depth will likely be the downfall of Queen's. I guess my point is that their high-end talent is much greater than other recent OUA reps - and that of York. Queen's is like 2016 Carleton, only with an all-Canadian goalie playing out of his mind right now.
Queen's was 7-2 against McGill and Concordia - the top two teams in their division - including a 4-0 record against McGill. Will they win the UCup? Likely not. But I think they could make some serious waves, and eliminate a favourite or two on the way.
Queen's was 7-2 against McGill and Concordia - the top two teams in their division - including a 4-0 record against McGill. Will they win the UCup? Likely not. But I think they could make some serious waves, and eliminate a favourite or two on the way.
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Queen's and York both seem similar to me...great defensively, but very challenged when it comes to putting the puck in the net. I think UNB out-shoots whatever team they play in the first round 2 to 1, so they will need to get lights out goaltending to have a chance. It can certainly happen though...as we saw against SMU and X.
For Queen's, their top 3 guys accounted for almost half their offense. If you shut them down I don't see them generating much.
For Queen's, their top 3 guys accounted for almost half their offense. If you shut them down I don't see them generating much.
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Does anyone object to my seeding:
#1 Alberta
#2 SFX
#3 York
#4 Queens
#5 UNB
#6 Sask
#7 McGill
#8 Acadia
#1 Alberta
#2 SFX
#3 York
#4 Queens
#5 UNB
#6 Sask
#7 McGill
#8 Acadia
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York over Queen's 4-3 in a highly entertaining Queen's Cup.
Queen's held below 20 shots for the 3rd straight game and 4th time in 5 games.
Queen's held below 20 shots for the 3rd straight game and 4th time in 5 games.
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AdamMcg83
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I have an unbelievable knack for stating an opinion on these boards, and then summarily being proven wrong. Queen's looked pretty rough tonight.
Let's test this:
...I think UNB will *definitely* win the UCup next weekend. I don't see a scenario in which the hosts don't take home the hardware.
Let's test this:
...I think UNB will *definitely* win the UCup next weekend. I don't see a scenario in which the hosts don't take home the hardware.
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The Red Army will get the Queen's on Thursday night.
It's no secret that UNB plays an up tempo style, Queens will need to be able to compete for 60 minutes to put them in position to beat UNB, or Baille plays lights out.
UNB has lost just one home game all year, but anything can happen at Nationals.
One goal losses at the University Cup in 98 to Guelph, Alberta in 2008 and to UQTR in 2003, during the semi's after doubling all of those teams in shots. All of those games had outstanding goaltending in those games.
It's no secret that UNB plays an up tempo style, Queens will need to be able to compete for 60 minutes to put them in position to beat UNB, or Baille plays lights out.
UNB has lost just one home game all year, but anything can happen at Nationals.
One goal losses at the University Cup in 98 to Guelph, Alberta in 2008 and to UQTR in 2003, during the semi's after doubling all of those teams in shots. All of those games had outstanding goaltending in those games.
If it is Queen's-UNB at 4-5, Queen's will be lucky to have 12 shots on goal. Anything is possible (hello, Belarus 4 Sweden 3), but it will take unbelievable luck for Queen's to advance past UNB. Even if you forget about the talent gap, it's a serious awakening for any team going to the U Cup for the first time, as they will have never played at that level of intensity in their hockey careers.
Then, an Alberta-UNB Semi-final will be the game of the tournament.
The winner of McGill - St FX will be in the Gold Medal Game versus Alberta or UNB.
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AdamMcg83
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That's a quick-trigger dismissal for SASK, who have either the best or second-best goaltender in the tournament.
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Yup...not to mention they have arguably been the 2nd best team in the country all year. I can absolutely see them making the finals.
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Pardon?
Dale, is that you?? Welcome back! Have. You been under a rock, 10 feet of snow or did you have an extended visit from Rantfather?
RED ARMY EAST
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Alb vs Acadia
Alberta vs Acadia will be an interesting match up. Acadia can run and gun, but that may backfire against a young, but skilled Bear squad. This game will be fast paced and physical. Acadia recruits heavily out west and has several former WHL players in it's lineup. This should be a dandy!
Alberta vs Acadia will be an interesting match up. Acadia can run and gun, but that may backfire against a young, but skilled Bear squad. This game will be fast paced and physical. Acadia recruits heavily out west and has several former WHL players in it's lineup. This should be a dandy!
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The best thing about the predicted match-ups is that they are all fairly uncommon. I'm too lazy to do the research, but McGill/X (2011 UCup) is the only one I can remember happening in recent memory. UNB hasn't played Queen's since 1994.
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Dale, is that you?? Welcome back! Have. You been under a rock, 10 feet of snow or did you have an extended visit from Rantfather?
Dale has been tending the herd these past months.
I wouldn't count Sask out as a finalist. I saw them last year as a young team with an excellent goaltender. The team is a year older with the same goalie. SFX has had a couple of losing streaks during the regular season and one bad game puts them out. Assuming UofA, UNB, SFX and UofS all win their opening game, it would make for some good semi-final match-ups. But, if ACA gets solid goaltending (something that has eluded them in past years), they could "upset" UofA. SFX has a pretty good goalie in Chase Marchand, cousin to the NHL pest, Brad.
While UNB is considered the presumptive Gold Medal winner, Queens also has a pretty good goalie in Baile, while Marcoux has struggled in playoffs against SFX. If Gibby can get his guys to play in the style that SFX did against UNB and if Baile stands on his head the way Marchand did an upset is "possible".
Interestingly, this is the fifth consecutive year that the regular season first place OUA West team has not made it through to the Queen's Cup.
In reading through the posts, it's interesting to see that everyone has completely written York off, which may well end up being correct. But here are some fun facts on them:
- they are 7-1 in this year's playoffs
- they were 11-2-2 in their last 15 regular season games
- they know how to play in tight games: 18 of their 28 regular season games were decided by 1 goal (they went 10-4-4)
- they beat Ryerson twice (once in regulation, once in OT) - Ryerson won 22 out of 28 regular season games and had the best regular season record in the OUA
- against the OUA East top 6, they were 2-2-2 (3-2-2 if you throw in UOIT, who were just outside of the top 6). With the exception of a 4-0 loss to Carleton, every one of these games was decided by one goal, 4 of them in OT
- other than that loss to Carleton, they did not lose any other game by more that 2 goals
- they were second to UNB in the CIS this year with a 2.0 GAA (on the other hand, they were 23rd in GPG at 2.86, which may be the killer for them, but being weak in one of the two in this tournament, I'd pick goals for)
I don't follow them closely, so don't know much about them, but at the very least, they sound like they will play a tight game and could be very frustrating to play against.
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Dale, is that you?? Welcome back! Have. You been under a rock, 10 feet of snow or did you have an extended visit from Rantfather?
Pretty busy with a influx of coyotes out here, coulda used the odd rant from the father
